Legislator Score / Vote

2018: 115th Congress 70%

This vote is on the motion to invoke cloture on the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act, S. 139, which requires a 60-vote majority to limit debate. In addition to the objections FreedomWorks has to the bill, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) used a tactic known as "filling the tree" to prevent amendments that would have addressed the concerns of constitutional conservatives and libertarians.

Despite some tweaks to the original text produced by the House Select Committee on Intelligence, the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act continues to represent an assault on the Fourth Amendment.
The Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of our constitutional republic, and crucial to defending the civil liberties of all American citizens. FISA has caused damage to the Fourth Amendment for years, and now is a critical time to support genuine reform, such as the USA RIGHTS Act.
The revised version of the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act remains the exact opposite of reform, and it is worse than current law. The bill would continue the backdoor search, with an utterly meaningless “warrant requirement.” The caveats proposed to this purported “warrant requirement” are an end-run around the Fourth Amendment.
The bill provides a path for the National Security Agency (NSA) to restart the practice of “abouts” collection. This means if a U.S. person mentions a potential surveillance target in a communication, the NSA can collect it, regardless of whether or not the U.S. person was communicating with anyone associated with the target.

"Nay" votes scored. Double Score

3: On the Cloture Motion: Bipartisan Budget Act✘ Yea

Key Vote 3: On the Cloture Motion: Bipartisan Budget Act

This vote is for cloture on the Bipartisan Budget Act. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) had offered an amendment to restore the original spending caps under the Budget Control Act. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) "filled the tree," refusing to allow amendments. A vote for cloture is essentially a vote not to allow amendments.

"Nay" votes scored.

4: On the Motion: Bipartisan Budget Act✘ Yea

Key Vote 4: On the Motion: Bipartisan Budget Act

The Schumer-McConnell spending deal, the Bipartisan Budget Act, is the worst-case scenario for fiscal conservatives under a Democratic president and Democrat-controlled Congress, but it is happening under a Republican president and Republican Congress. This is reckless spending, and a massive tax hike on future generations, made under the guise of “bipartisan negotiations.” This is deceitful, aggressive overspending by those elected to protect taxpayers. Leaving Americans with higher budget deficits likely over $1 trillion, and a national debt that will balloon to over $21 trillion, is no way to govern, and its weight falls squarely on the shoulders of taxpayers.
This deal makes clear that Republicans only care about deficits and out-of-control federal spending under a Democratic president. With a Republican president and Republican control of the House and Senate, there is no other conclusion that one can possibly draw.

"Nay" votes scored. Triple Score

5: On the Nomination: Russ Vought to Serve as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget✔ Yea

Key Vote 5: On the Nomination: Russ Vought to Serve as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Russ Vought's nomination had been stalled by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who sought to leverage his obstruction of the nomination in exchange for more emergency supplemental funding for his home state. Vought's credentials to serve in this important post, which handles budget and regulatory policy for the White House, were never in question. Democrats opposed Vought's nomination over issues that have nothing to do with his ability to serve as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act instructs the Comptroller General of the United States, who serves as the director of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete an audit of the Federal Reserve within 12 months of its enactment. A report of the findings of the audit would be required within 90 days of its completion. The bill would require the Federal Reserve to provide information to the GAO, currently excluded from audits under 31 USC 714(b), including discussions between the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department, as well as transactions with foreign banks. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

"Yea" votes scored.

7: Co-Sponsors of the CREATES Act, S. 974✔ Yea

Key Vote 7: Co-Sponsors of the CREATES Act, S. 974

The CREATES Act would grant relief in court for generic and biosimilar competitors seeking FDA approval. This would clear the pathway for new drugs to enter the market, drastically reducing prices through increased competition. The cost savings stemming from this legislation could reach between 15 percent and 50 percent of current prices for impacted drugs. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

"Yea" votes scored.

8: Co-Sponsors of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, S. 21✔ Yea

Key Vote 8: Co-Sponsors of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, S. 21

The REINS Act would require congressional approval for economically significant rules promulgated by federal regulatory agencies. Under the REINS Act, the House and Senate would have to vote on a proposed rule and the president would have to sign it before enforcement of the rule can begin. The bill would give Congress 70 days to pass a resolution to approve a rule. If a resolution is not passed, the rule cannot take effect. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

"Yea" votes scored.

9: Co-Sponsors of the CBO Show Your Work Act, S. 1746✔ Yea

Key Vote 9: Co-Sponsors of the CBO Show Your Work Act, S. 1746

The CBO Show Your Work Act would require the Congressional Budget Office to make the models and data employed to produce its analyses and cost estimates, as well as any details that were used, available to Congress and on the agency’s website. This much-needed transparency will allow interested parties outside of Congress to hold the CBO accountable. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

SRCA would provide a a comprehensive solution to the myriad of problems marring the federal criminal justice system by offering a three-faceted approach: front-end sentencing reform, back-end corrections reform, and a commission created to study the criminal justice system. These reforms, proven effective at the state level to reducing recidivism, lowering crime, and saving taxpayer dollars can and should be applied to the federal justice system. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

"Yea" votes scored.

11: Co-Sponsor of the Earmark Elimination Act, S. 2330✔ Yea

Key Vote 11: Co-Sponsor of the Earmark Elimination Act, S. 2330

The Earmark Elimination Act would make permanent the temporary moratorium on congressional earmarks put into effect in 2010 by creating a point of order against any provision within a bill that matches the definition of an earmark, and when raised would be stricken absent a two-thirds majority to override. Should Leader McConnell bring this bill to the floor, FreedomWorks will substitute the cosponsor key vote for the roll call vote.

Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act would provide targeted relief in the banking industry from onerous regulatory overreach into the financial sector created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, commonly known as “Dodd-Frank.” Initially passed in response to the recession of 2008, Dodd-Frank created a series of reforms that were supposed to address the issues in the financial sector that had supposedly caused the recession, but instead created a climate of overregulation, authorized the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with little to no oversight, and gave the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) the authority to label financial firms as too big to fail.

Altogether, the bill spends nearly $1.3 trillion in discretionary funds – $700 billion for defense, and $591 billion for non-defense – for fiscal year 2018 alone. These appropriations would bring us back to Obama-era trillion-dollar yearly deficits, and balloon our national debt to nearly $22 trillion. This level of spending for a unified Republican government is unacceptable and breaks the promises of every Republican member who ran on a platform of defending taxpayers, spending responsibly, and reigning in the size of government.

"Nay" votes scored.

14: On the Nomination: Jim Bridenstine to be NASA Administrator✔ Yea

Key Vote 14: On the Nomination: Jim Bridenstine to be NASA Administrator

Between his time as an aviator in the United States Navy, his firsthand experience serving as the executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium, and his work in Congress, Bridenstine is extraordinarily qualified for the role of NASA administrator. In this role at NASA, Bridenstine will have the ability to bring much-needed reform to the agency, implementing the same principles of free markets and government efficiency that he tirelessly fought for in Congress. Serving on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Bridenstine became a champion of issues pertaining to air and space exploration.

The passage of this CRA would do nothing to change the prohibition against discrimination in the Equal Credit Opportunity Act that the guidance cites. It would simply roll back the gross regulatory overreach of the CFPB in claiming for itself -- behind closed doors and a screen of smoke -- a power that Congress, in the law that created the CFPB, explicitly banned the CFPB from having. As Sen. Moran said, the CFPB “had to work its magic to find a way to regulate auto dealers.” Good governing is done through accountable and transparent processes, not magic.

"Yea" votes scored.

16: On the Motion to Proceed: Resolution of Disapproval on Restoring Internet Freedom, S.J.Res 52✔ Nay

S.J.Res. 52 would undo the Restoring Internet Freedom Order and reinstate the Obama administration’s Internet red tape. This will hurt tech companies, as well as consumers. Internet access is becoming vital to commerce, and many Americans still lack connectivity. In order to get service to these most vulnerable parts of the country, we need an Internet free of the meddling hand of government, so it can innovate and expand as it did for so many years before the Obama-era regulations took effect.

S.J.Res. 52 would undo the Restoring Internet Freedom Order and reinstate the Obama administration’s Internet red tape. This will hurt tech companies, as well as consumers. Internet access is becoming vital to commerce, and many Americans still lack connectivity. In order to get service to these most vulnerable parts of the country, we need an Internet free of the meddling hand of government, so it can innovate and expand as it did for so many years before the Obama-era regulations took effect.

Sen. Paul’s resolution would balance the federal budget in five years by assuming the repeal of the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act and from there cutting total outlays by one penny for every dollar spent, continuing for the next five years. At this point, the budget would be fully balanced and spending would be allowed to grow at one percent thereafter. Doing so would reduce spending by $404.8 billion in fiscal year 2019 and by $13.35 trillion over ten years relative to the baseline under current law.

Sen. Toomey’s amendment would apply the principles of the REINS Act to CFIUS to make sure Congress has a final say on these regulations. This will mean that only regulations that try to address truly predatory behavior will pass, while those that are unnecessary and anti-market will be stopped from taking effect. This was the intent of Congress when it authorized CFIUS and it should not abandon its ability to set policy in this way. Sen. Toomey’s amendment gives Congress this oversight.

Approving this initial $15 billion rescissions request in full -- pulling back funds sitting in useless accounts that can only otherwise be used to spend more in the future -- is a task that conservatives in Congress should wholeheartedly endorse. It is one of few opportunities to exercise any semblance of fiscal discipline. It is only one small step towards actually tackling Washington’s out-of-control spending addiction, but it represents a chance to begin this fight.

"Yea" votes scored.

21: On the Motion to Table the Lee Amendment to H.R. 5515✔ Nay

Key Vote 21: On the Motion to Table the Lee Amendment to H.R. 5515

The Lee Amendment ensures that if the government wishes to making any such detention, that it have clear authorization to do so. The entire text of the Lee Amendment is consistent with the Constitution and with the prior Supreme Court cases that govern this issue. This amendment is narrow in scope, and will not hinder our counterterrorism efforts. This is merely to strengthen American citizens’ constitutional protections. The motion to table would kill this important provision.

"Nay" votes scored.

22: On the Motion to Table Lee-Cruz Amendment to the Farm Bill, H.R. 2✔ Nay

Key Vote 22: On the Motion to Table Lee-Cruz Amendment to the Farm Bill, H.R. 2

This amendment would add work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. The Senate stripped out this pro-work provision from their version of the Farm Bill. Work requirements are important for helping people rise out of welfare and becoming independent of government assistance. A vote to table the Lee-Cruz Amendment would prevent them from being added back in to the Senate text.

"Nay" votes scored.

23: On the Motion to Instruct on H.R. 5895 to Enhance Trade Oversight✔ Yea

Key Vote 23: On the Motion to Instruct on H.R. 5895 to Enhance Trade Oversight

The motion to instruct simply states: “[M]anagers on the part of the Senate at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the Senate amendment to the bill H.R. 5895 be instructed to include language providing a role for Congress in making a determination under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862).”
The administration has misused Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to unilaterally impose tariffs – which are taxes – for purposes unrelated to national security. These tariffs threaten American consumers with higher prices and American businesses with retaliatory tariffs imposed by our trading partners.

"Yea" votes scored.

24: On Passage of the Farm Bill, H.R. 2✘ Yea

Key Vote 24: On Passage of the Farm Bill, H.R. 2

This bill makes no effort to reduce dependence on subsidies from the federal government. These subsidies tend to prop up particular crops at the expense of others. Under the last Farm Bill, 94 percent of subsidies went to only six crops. However, those six crops only accounted for 28 percent of production. This is not to mention the fact that one-third of subsidies would go to “farmers” who have a median net worth of $3.8 million. The Farm Bill is one of our nations clearest examples of cronyism for special interests, and the version produced by the Senate continues that tradition, with no attempt at reform.

"Nay" votes scored.

25: On the Paul Amendment to H.R. 6147 ✔ Yea

Key Vote 25: On the Paul Amendment to H.R. 6147

This amendment, sponsored by sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) would reduce appropriations in the minibus by 11.39% across the board. This would result in cuts of $17.5 billion and would bring spending in line with the budget caps in place before passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act. Given that we are rapidly approaching a trillion dollar deficit, this is a necessary step to reining in government spending.

"Yea" votes scored. Double Score

26: On the Motion to Extend the National Flood Insurance Program✘ Yea

Key Vote 26: On the Motion to Extend the National Flood Insurance Program

The amendment would provide for a clean reauthorization without reforms, despite consistent efforts by fiscally-conscious members to modify the program, which is over $20 billion in debt. This is more of the same pattern seen all too often in Congress -- Leadership unwilling to support even the most modest reforms to fiscally irresponsible, flawed programs. With NFIP, only 3 of the 41 reauthorizations in the past 20 years have included any reforms.

"Nay" votes scored.

27: On the Motion to Table the Cruz Amendment to H.R. 6147✔ Nay

Key Vote 27: On the Motion to Table the Cruz Amendment to H.R. 6147

This amendment would prohibit funds from being used to carry out the District of Columbia’s recently-passed Health Insurance Requirement Act. The D.C. mandate states that a “taxpayer who fails to pay the District of Columbia shared responsibility payment imposed...shall be subject to all collection, enforcement, and administrative provisions applicable to unpaid taxes or fees, as provided in Chapter 18, Chapter 41, Chapter 42, Chapter 43, and Chapter 44 of this title.” When dissected fully, this includes levying and seizing property, or even imprisoning individuals for choosing not to purchase health insurance.

"Nay" votes scored.

28: On the Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court✔ Yea

Key Vote 28: On the Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court

When it comes more broadly to the rampant expansion of the unconstitutional regulatory state, Judge Kavanaugh is perhaps second to none in standing up for the Constitution. According to Kavanaugh, if Congress hasn’t yet opined on a matter of deep economic significance, any regulation relating to that matter should be presumed unconstitutional. He recognizes that lawmaking, under Article I of the Constitution, was delegated to Congress, not unelected executive branch bureaucrats.

"Yea" votes scored.

29: On the Conference Report to H.R. 6157✘ Yea

Key Vote 29: On the Conference Report to H.R. 6157

H.R. 6157 is more of the same profligate spending resulting from a broken budget process and members unwilling to stand up for their campaign promises of shrinking government and reducing spending. The bill appropriates $33 billion more for Defense than the FY 2018 omnibus and $16 billion more for Labor/HHS. It also includes a CR until December 7, setting up votes on a spending package during the lame-duck session that will almost certainly be packed with last-minute giveaways to special interests.

2017: 115th Congress 90%

While serving as the vehicle to begin the process of repealing ObamaCare, as currently written, S.Con.Res. 3 would increase budget deficits by $7.919 trillion between FY 2017 and FY 2026 and add nearly $9.01 trillion in publicly held debt. It’s beyond comprehension, after seeing more than $8.1 trillion added public’s share of the national debt since on President Barack Obama’s watch, why Congress would pass a budget resolution that doesn’t show any measure of fiscal restraint. Introduced by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), this amendment freezes on-budget federal spending at the FY 2017 level, $3.265 trillion, between FY 2018 through FY 2026. The amendment would bring the budget into balance by FY 2024. The resolution does nothing to adversely affect ObamaCare repeal.

"Yea" votes scored. Double Score

2: On Passage: H.J. Res. 38 - Resolution of Disapproval Against the Department of the Interior's Stream Protection Rule✔ Yea

This resolution of disapproval of the Congressional Review Act nullifies the Department of the Interior's Stream Protection Rule. With an annual estimated cost of $81 million, according to the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Stream Protection Rule is another blow to the coal industry, which was a favorite target of the Obama administration. The National Mining Association estimates that rule will lead to billions of dollars in lost revenues to state and local governments, as well as the loss of between 113,000 and 280,000 jobs.

This resolution of disapproval of the Congressional Review Act nullifies the Securities and Exchange Commission's Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers rule. Promulgated under the authority of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or Dodd-Frank, this rule requires resource extraction issuers to include in annual reports the payment of any entity controlled by the regulated business to foreign governments or the United States government "for the purpose of the commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals." The Securities and Exchange Commission projects initial compliance costs between $239 million and $700 million and annual compliance costs between $96 million and $591 million.

"Yea" votes scored.

4: On the Nomination: Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (R-Ga.) to Serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services✔ Yea

Key Vote 4: On the Nomination: Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (R-Ga.) to Serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services

Roll Call 61

An orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Price, who has a lifetime 89 percent score with FreedomWorks, would bring a unique perspective to the Department of Health and Human Services that is desperately needed at a time when America's health care system is facing significant challenges. The Department of Health and Human Services was one of the federal agencies primarily responsible for the implementation of ObamaCare. HHS promulgated or approved rules developed by agencies it oversees, including rules that led to millions of health insurance policy cancellations and so-called “essential benefits” that have increased the cost of health insurance premiums for Americans. While the details of an ObamaCare replacement supported by the House and Senate Republican conferences are yet to be developed and introduced in legislative text, Dr. Price is the ideal individual to lead this effort in the Trump administration.

"Yea" votes scored.

5: On the Nomination: Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to Serve as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget✔ Yea

Key Vote 5: On the Nomination: Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to Serve as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget

Roll Call 68

The Office of Management and Budget is the largest office working in the Executive Office of the President of the United States. As OMB director, Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) would play a large role in preparing President Trump’s Budget, as well as evaluating the degree to which agency programs, policies, and procedures follow the president’s policies. With Rep. Mulvaney’s history of serious concern and constructive activity toward reining in Washington’s overspending, this nominee deserves our support to take Washington by the horns and fight for responsible spending levels at the federal level.

"Yea" votes scored. Double Score

6: On the Nomination: Scott Pruitt to Serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency✔ Yea

Key Vote 6: On the Nomination: Scott Pruitt to Serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Roll Call 71

The EPA has become the most notorious offender in the unconstitutional fourth branch of government that we know as the regulatory state. It has promulgated rules and regulations, such as the Clean Power Plan, aimed at destroying an entire industry, hurting workers and their families. Under Scott Pruitt's leadership at the EPA, Americans will have safe air and water and protection from government overreach through rules and regulations. Pruitt is a staunch believer in federalism and Article I of the Constitution, which charges the legislative branch with the power to make laws, not executive-level regulatory agencies.

This resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act nullifies a the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. This regulation requires federal contractors to disclose decisions on the reporting of violations of federal labor laws and creates paycheck transparency protections for employees of federal contractors. The rule is expected to cost employers $458.3 million in the first year, $413.7 million in the second year, and between $398.5 million and $400 million annually thereafter.

"Yea" votes scored.

8: On Passage: H.J.Res. 57 - Resolution of Disapproval Against the Department of Education's Accountability and State Plans Rule✔ Yea

Key Vote 8: On Passage: H.J.Res. 57 - Resolution of Disapproval Against the Department of Education's Accountability and State Plans Rule

This resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act, which gives Congress authority to effectively nullify regulations submitted for review by federal agencies within 60 legislative days, would cancel the Department of Education’s Accountability and State Plans Rule. The Department of Education’s Accountability and State Plans Rule implements part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and leaves open a loophole that federal bureaucrats could exploit to force Common Core on states that haven't implemented the standards. Education officials from several states and local jurisdictions strongly opposed the rule when it was being crafted.

he resolution would prevent the FCC from implementing rules that dictate the way broadband Internet service providers handle their customers’ personal information. S.J.Res. 34 passed the Senate last week by a vote of 50 to 48.
Although consumer data privacy is of significant concern to every American, the proper parties should address the issue. In this area, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has historically held authority on the establishment and enforcement of general online privacy rules. Since the FCC can only regulate a portion of the Internet sphere – service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T – other Internet companies, namely websites like Facebook and Google, would escape any stringent data privacy rules enacted by the FCC.
Creating more regulation in an uneven fashion would not only benefit certain companies in the industry by creating a clear advantage in digital advertising, it would also fail to achieve any consumer data protection purpose. In order to provide Americans with more robust and clearly defined protective measures, it is important to allow Congress and the FTC to set the rules in this sphere. Enabling other agencies to further restrict only a certain portion of an industry burdens privacy, progress, and business.
It is important to move away from the Obama-era, regulatory induced system we have seen grow over the last eight years.

"Yea" votes scored.

10: On the Nomination: Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to Serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court✔ Yea

Key Vote 10: On the Nomination: Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to Serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

Roll Call 111

Our activist community drove more than 1.7 million messages to the Senate urging Members to preserve this important seat on the High Court for someone who respects the rule of law and a textual interpretation of the Constitution. With the nomination of Judge Gorsuch, we now have the opportunity to follow through by solidifying the conservative bloc on the Supreme Court. As explained by SCOTUSBlog, “some of the parallels” between Justice Scalia and Judge Gorsuch “can be downright eerie.” Indeed, Judge Gorsuch has the same originalist and textualist approach to the Constitution and narrow application of criminal laws against defendants and support for mens rea, or criminal intent, requirements in federal law in common. The key difference between Justice Scalia and Judge Gorsuch is that Judge Gorsuch has written critically of the Supreme Court’s 1984 "Chevron deference," which requires federal courts to defer to regulatory agencies’ interpretations of “silent or ambiguous” statutes. The Chevron deference has allowed federal bureaucrats to enact law without judicial review, undermining the separation of powers in the Constitution.

"Yea" votes scored.

11: On Passage: Consolidated Appropriations Act - H.R. 244✔ Nay

Key Vote 11: On Passage: Consolidated Appropriations Act - H.R. 244

The process for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which funds the federal government for the remainder of FY 2017, could not have been worse. This massive, nearly 1,700-page spending measure was negotiated behind closed doors between congressional leadership from both chambers and appropriators. With a Republican-controlled Congress and a Republican president, this spending bill reflects Obama-era spending levels. The bill annualizes base discretionary spending for FY 2017 at $1.07 trillion. This spending level blows through the spending caps established by the Budget Control Act of 2011 by $30 billion. The bill spends an additional $106 billion for overseas contingency operations, disaster relief, and other spending, which isn’t counted toward the spending caps. In total, the bill authorizes more than $1.175 trillion in annualized discretionary spending for FY 2017. The bill also falls short of promoting conservative priorities. While the bill does renew the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and does not include funding for ObamaCare’s cost-sharing subsidies, it allocates nearly $296 million to bail out Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program, preserves current spending levels for the Environmental Protection Agency, increases spending for the National Institutes of Health and the National Endowment for the Arts, and provides a bailout for a private sector labor union.

"Nay" votes scored. Double Score

12: On the Motion to Proceed: H.J.Res. 36 - Resolution of Disapproval Against the Bureau of Land Management’s Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation Rule✔ Yea

Key Vote 12: On the Motion to Proceed: H.J.Res. 36 - Resolution of Disapproval Against the Bureau of Land Management’s Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation Rule

This vote was on the motion to proceed to consideration of H.J.Res. 36, which would have canceled the Bureau of Land Management’s Methane Rule. With annual compliance costs between $114 million and $279 million, the so-called “venting and flaring” rule purports to reduce waste from “reduce the waste of natural gas from mineral leases administered” by the Bureau of Land Management. In reality, the purpose of the rule is to discourage oil and gas production on land overseen by the agency. The Bureau of Land Management estimates annual compliance costs between $114 million and $279 million.

"Yea" votes scored.

13: Sponsor and Cosponsors of S. 1297 - To Make Title VII of FISA Permanent⊘ Ineligible

Key Vote 13: Sponsor and Cosponsors of S. 1297 - To Make Title VII of FISA Permanent

The current authorization expires in December, which means that Congress must reauthorize it by the end of the year. S. 1287 bill would eliminate the need for reauthorization, granting indefinite authority for a program that collects information on, potentially, millions of Americans.
Section 702 allows the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to collect electronic communications by non-citizens of interest to the federal government. Officially, the program is not supposed to target U.S. citizens, but intelligence agencies cast a wide net and often the communications of Americans can be swept up by the surveillance as well.
Given the sweeping powers in Section 702 and the potential for misuse, this program should require congressional oversight, which can be used to assess both terrorism and privacy concerns. Granting this surveillance authority indefinitely, as S. 1297 does, limits even further Congress’s ability to oversee this program.

"Nay" votes scored. Double Score

14: On the Motion to Proceed: American Health Care Act, H.R. 1628✔ Yea

This amendment is virtually identical to the 2015 ObamaCare repeal bill – the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, H.R. 3762. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 52 to 47, with only two unsurprising Republican defections.
For more than seven years, Republicans successfully campaigned on ObamaCare repeal. They made floor speeches in support of repeal, and they voted to pass a repeal bill less than two years ago. Grassroots conservative activists are not going to accept excuses if Republicans fail to pass a bill that they have passed once before.
The ObamaCare Repeal Reconciliation Act would repeal much of ObamaCare – including the tax and cost sharing subsidies, Medicaid expansion, and the taxes that came with the law – with a two-year delay to pass a replacement. This delay provides more than ample time to reach an agreement on a replacement bill or package.
President Donald Trump has indicated that he will sign a 2015-style ObamaCare bill into law. Senate Republicans should do as they did in December 2015 and pass a bill that delivers on their frequent promises to repeal ObamaCare.

Key Vote 17: On the Nomination: Chairman Ajit Pai to Serve Another Five-Year Term on the FCC

Chairman Pai has served on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since May 2012. Chairman Pai should not only be confirmed for his record of eloquently championing sensible regulation grounded by market principles, but because he also serves as an example of what the American people deserve from officials in Washington. Pai’s efforts, particularly on the debate surrounding Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, demonstrate his commitment to policies that work rather than policies that simply grow the power of government and relevance of his position as a regulator.

This amendment, sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), would create reconciliation instructions to repeal and replace ObamaCare, providing a path to follow through on more than seven years of promises after the Senate's failure this year.

It has been more than 30 years since Congress passed fundamental tax reform. Since that time, the tax code has become riddled with carve-outs that benefit politically connected special interests. Today, there are more than 74,000 pages in the tax code. According to the Tax Foundation, Americans spent 8.9 billion hours and $409 billion on tax compliance in 2016.
Congress has a generational opportunity to reform the tax code by consolidating and lowering tax rates, broadening the tax base, and promoting job creation and international competitiveness for American businesses. This will make the tax code fairer and simplify the filing process, allowing the vast majority of Americans to file their taxes on a postcard.
There is no doubt that 2017 has been a frustrating year for conservatives. Failure on fundamental tax reform is not an option. Passage of the FY 2018 budget resolution is the first step in this process. This is a step that the Senate must take.

No one disagrees with the need for assistance for areas recently impacted by disasters. Nevertheless, the concern with the Additional Supplement Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act is that Congress is spending $36.5 billion without any spending offsets. Sadly, some, like Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), are demanding more money, attempting to extort additional funds by blocking a conservative nominee.
Currently, the national debt is $20.4 trillion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the projected budget deficit for FY 2017 and FY 2018 is $804 billion and $855 billion, respectively. Congress is only a few years away from the $1+ trillion deficits that Republicans frequently and rightly criticized under President Barack Obama.
Long-term budget projections are even more ominous. Unfortunately, Congress continues to kick the can down the road, avoiding difficult decisions.

This resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) would cancel the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) arbitration rule. The final rule was published on Regulations.gov on July 19. While the CRA isn’t a panacea, it does provide a means for Congress to act as a check on out-of-control federal agencies.
The CFPB’s arbitration rule is, in reality, a giveaway to trial lawyers. The rule ostensibly bans contractual arbitration clauses related to consumer financial products offered by banks and other financial sector firms. This severely limits consumers’ ability to enter into arbitration during disputes.
Arbitration is an easier and quicker process for consumers to resolve issues, but lawyers don’t make much money from this process. The rule, however, will encourage trial lawyers to pursue more class-action lawsuits, which take longer and result in smaller payouts to consumers. But class-action lawsuits do bring in big dollars for trial lawyers.
Class-action lawsuits can take two to five years to resolve, and the average payment is $32.35 per individual. These class-action suits, for which trial lawyers are paid an average of roughly $1 million, also drive up costs to consumers. By comparison, arbitration typically takes two to five months, with an average payment of thousands of dollars. It’s clear which process truly protects consumers.

"Yea" votes scored.

23: On the Motion: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act✔ Yea

Key Vote 23: On the Motion: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers individual rates for the vast majority of taxpayers. In addition, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act nearly doubles the standard deduction, meaning Americans keep more of their hard-earned money, and doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000. This bill also provides relief by doubling the exemption amount from the unfair death tax.
Pass-through business owners, who file their taxes on their individual tax return, will be able to take a 20 percent deduction. This lowers the tax burden currently faced by pass-through businesses, which, according to the Tax Foundation, employ 70 million people, and promotes fairness.
America’s business community will also see added growth as a result of the policy changes in this bill. The corporate tax rate will be lowered substantially from 35 percent to 21 percent, making American businesses more globally competitive and allowing them the resources they need to innovate and create jobs. It also eliminates confusion and complexity so job creators can focus on building their company and hiring working Americans.
This bill also repeals the harmful ObamaCare individual mandate, a coercive tax on Americans. It’s estimated that 80 percent of households subject to this tax earn less than $50,000 per year. This is an unnecessary hardship being placed on working Americans. The federal government should not punish individuals who cannot afford ObamaCare’s costly health insurance plans or decide it is not the best course for them.

This bill would require a comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve Bank. Currently, several of the Fed's economically significant activities are shielded from their annual audit. Given that the Fed's policies have a dramatic effect on interest rates and the value of our money, it is crucial that their practices be subject to public and Congressional scrutiny.

This amendment, S.Amdt. 4685, offered by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), to the Senate version of the Commerce, Justice, Science spending bill would greatly expand the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) surveillance powers, giving the agency the ability to collect sensitive, personal information about American citizens’ online activities. The Fourth Amendment is an important protection against government intrusions into our lives, and we should be wary of any legislation that threatens such a fundamental right.
The amendment would allow the FBI to collect Electronic Communications Transactional Records (ECTRs) which includes information about web browsing history, the to/from lines of emails, and location information from IP addresses with only an administrative subpoena, also known as a National Security Letter. In addition to not requiring a warrant, national security letters also include a gag order, so companies cannot even inform their customers that their data is being turned over to federal law enforcement officials.

"Nay" votes scored.

3: On the Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 28☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 3: On the Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 28

This resolution, S.J. Res. 28, offered by Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) would roll back an unnecessary, expensive, and duplicative federal regulation on catfish at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The resolution would save taxpayers $14.4 million. Federal regulations like this one are part of the regulatory state that burdens individuals and the economy with complex and expensive rules.

To provide for the establishment of free market enterprise zones in order to help facilitate the creation of new jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities, enhances and renewed educational opportunities, and increased community involvement in bankrupt or economically distressed areas.

Key Vote 1: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 92 to S.Amdt. 2 to S. 1 - To permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides money for states and the federal government to purchase land for "conservation" purposes. This fund has been used to purchase millions of acres of private property, further increasing the massive quantity of government-owned property in the United States. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing the government takeover of ever-greater swaths of property, yet this amendment would make this land-purchase fund permanent.

"Nay" votes scored.

2: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 1116 to H.R. 2 - To require that the "Doc Fix" bill be fully paid for✔ Yea

Key Vote 2: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 1116 to H.R. 2 - To require that the "Doc Fix" bill be fully paid for

H.R. 2 is a bill to permanently prevent a scheduled cut in payments to doctors under Medicare, as well as to reauthorize S-CHIP - the federal health insurance program for children. Aside from numerous other policy issues, this bill also adds over $140 billion to the deficit over ten years. This amendment by Senator Mike Lee would invoke the statutory pay-as-you-go requirement so that Congress would be forced to find savings to erase the deficits created by this bill.

"Yea" votes scored.

3: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 1243 to S.Amdt. 1221 to H.R. 1314 - To Strike Trade Adjustment Assistance from the Bill✔ Yea

Key Vote 3: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 1243 to S.Amdt. 1221 to H.R. 1314 - To Strike Trade Adjustment Assistance from the Bill

This amendment, by Senator Flake, would strike the extension of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program from the bill to create fast-track trade authority. TAA is an ineffective and duplicative program that gives financial assistance to workers and companies that have been negatively affected by free trade. TAA has been shown to be ineffective and even harmful to those it is supposed to benefit, and should be allowed to expire.

"Yea" votes scored.

4: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 2162 to S.Amdt. 2089 to S. 1177 - To make it easier for parents to opt their children out of standardized testing✔ Yea

Key Vote 4: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 2162 to S.Amdt. 2089 to S. 1177 - To make it easier for parents to opt their children out of standardized testing

This amendment by Senator Lee would allow parents to opt their children out of having to take federally mandated standardized tests, while ensuring that schools are not penalized for these students not being tested.

"Yea" votes scored.

5: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 2180 to S.Amdt. 2089 to S. 1177 - To remove federal mandates on educational standards in the states✔ Yea

Key Vote 5: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 2180 to S.Amdt. 2089 to S. 1177 - To remove federal mandates on educational standards in the states

This amendment by Senator Cruz would prohibit the Department of Education from forcing states to adhere to any federal testing standards, allowing states to determine their own assessment plans for public schools.

"Yea" votes scored.

6: On the Cloture Motion, S.Amdt. 2327 to S.Amdt. 2266 to H.R. 22 - To Reauthorize the U.S. Export Import Bank✔ Nay

Key Vote 6: On the Cloture Motion, S.Amdt. 2327 to S.Amdt. 2266 to H.R. 22 - To Reauthorize the U.S. Export Import Bank

The Export-Import Bank is an 80-year-old corporate welfare program that ought to be allowed to expire. That Republican leaders prioritize Ex-Im instead of conservative priorities confirms that they fail to address the expansion...

"Nay" votes scored.

7: On the Amendment: S.Amdt. 2621 to S.Amdt. 2716 to S. 754 - To require companies to delete sensitive personal information before sending cyber threat data to Homeland Security.☐ Did Not Vote

This amendment by Senator Ron Wyden would address one of the most glaring issues with the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), by requiring that companies sharing cyber threat data with the government first scrub non-essential personally identifiable information (PII) from the reports first. Without this amendment, CISA creates a perverse incentive for companies to be less careful about the sharing of their customers' personal data - which would be shared in real times across many government agencies, including the NSA.

"Yea" votes scored.

8: On Cloture: H.R. 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015✔ Nay

Key Vote 8: On Cloture: H.R. 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015

This bill was the vehicle for the budget agreement that will spend $80 billion beyond the Budget Control Act caps over two years, along with $16 billion in new defense spending that doesn't count towards the caps. The supposed offsets to this spending are mostly either gimmicks or long-term, while the new deficit spending is immediate. The bill also suspends the debt ceiling through March of 2017, effectively giving the government a blank check for that period.

"Nay" votes scored. Double Score

9: On the Joint Resolution: S.J.Res. 24 - Disapproving of the EPA Rule to Increase Emissions Standards for Existing Power Plants✔ Yea

Key Vote 9: On the Joint Resolution: S.J.Res. 24 - Disapproving of the EPA Rule to Increase Emissions Standards for Existing Power Plants

This resolution invokes the Congressional Act to disapprove of the recent EPA rule that greatly increases emissions restrictions on existing coal-fired power plants. This tremendously destructive regulation would greatly increase energy costs in the many states which rely heavily upon coal-fired power plants for their electricity. These cost increases damage overall economic growth, and in particular lower the standard of living of lower-income earners.

"Yea" votes scored.

10: On the Joint Resolution: S.J.Res. 23 - Disapproving of the EPA Rule to Increase Emissions Standards for New Power Plants✔ Yea

Key Vote 10: On the Joint Resolution: S.J.Res. 23 - Disapproving of the EPA Rule to Increase Emissions Standards for New Power Plants

This resolution invokes the Congressional Act to disapprove of the recent EPA rule that greatly increases emissions restrictions on any future coal-fired power plants. This rule tightens emissions standards to the point where it will likely not be economically feasible to build new coal-fired electric plants, crippling one of the most abundant and cost-effective sources of energy in America.

"Yea" votes scored.

11: Motion to Waive Budget Point of Order: S.Amdt. 2883 to S.Amdt. 2874 to H.R. 3762 - To make the federal 100% match for the Medicaid expansion permanent✔ Nay

Key Vote 11: Motion to Waive Budget Point of Order: S.Amdt. 2883 to S.Amdt. 2874 to H.R. 3762 - To make the federal 100% match for the Medicaid expansion permanent

This amendment by Senator Sherrod Brown would make permanent the 100 percent federal match rate for Medicaid enrollees under the ObamaCare expansion of that program. This would completely remove the incentive for states to resist expanding Medicaid because it would be largely free for them. This increase in permanent federal entitlement spending would be paid for by a tax increase on higher income earners.

"Nay" votes scored.

12: On Passage: H.R. 3762 - To Use Budget Reconciliation to Repeal Most of ObamaCare✔ Yea

Key Vote 12: On Passage: H.R. 3762 - To Use Budget Reconciliation to Repeal Most of ObamaCare

This bill uses the budget reconciliation process to repeal all of the parts of ObamaCare that have a budgetary impact, which would eliminate nearly all of ObamaCare's core functions. Among the programs repealed are the Medicaid expansion, the insurance premium subsidies, the insurance mandates, several grant programs, and all of the new taxes. Because of the reconciliation procedure, this bill only requires 50 votes to pass.

This bill would renew federal highway funding to states for a period of five years. However, it does not solve the structural deficit within the Highway Trust Fund, doesn't eliminate the wasteful spending that takes away from funding roads, and doesn't offset that spending in any real way. Furthermore, this bill contains a reauthorization of the expired Export-Import Bank, in order to prevent having a standalone vote on renewing such a direct corporate welfare fund.

This omnibus appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2016 funds former Speaker Boehner's budget-busting deal to the tune of $50 billion above the budget caps for 2016. It contains several very troubling legislative riders a well, including more funding for the IMF, and a massive new cybersecurity information sharing program that violates consumers' privacy and due process. It also fails to include most of the amendments from the appropriations process that would have defunded key, harmful federal regulations.

2014: 113th Congress 92%

This bill funds the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year (through September, 2014). It spends $45 billion more than the budget caps established in 2011, and perpetuates a vast amount of wasteful spending from previous years. Lawmakers were also given almost no time to read this 1,500 page spending bill.

This final version of the Farm Bill, reconciled between the House and Senate, actually undoes some of the already modest reforms to crop insurance and food stamps that were previously in the bill. This five-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill will spend nearly a trillion dollars over ten years, and remains loaded with corporate welfare and special carve-outs for well-connected agricultural corporations.

"Nay" votes scored.

3: On Cloture: S. 540 - Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act✔ Nay

Key Vote 3: On Cloture: S. 540 - Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act

This bill suspends the debt limit until March 15th of 2015, allowing the president to potentially run up as much debt as he pleases during that time period. The debt is already projected to increase by about $1 trillion over that period, to over $18 trillion. Meanwhile, this debt ceiling suspension contains no reforms to curb spending whatsoever.

"Nay" votes scored.

4: On Cloture: S.Amdt. 2874 to H.R. 3979 - To Retroactively Extend Federal Unemployment Benefits for Six Months☐ Did Not Vote

This amendment replaced an unrelated bill with a bill to extend federal unemployment insurance benefits by a further six months, starting retroactively in January 2014. Federal unemployment assistance was meant to be temporary, as states already have their own safety nets for the unemployed. Extending this program is an unnecessary cost to taxpayers, and creates perverse incentives than can cause job-seekers more difficulty in finding work.

This bipartisan energy bill further subsidizes state projects to make buildings more energy efficient, among various green subsidies. Many of the provisions of this bill are duplicative, and all would be better handled by states themselves. The projects and the accompanying regulations are theoretically voluntary, but with 'incentives' and studies aimed at coercing states to accept them.

"Nay" votes scored.

6: On Cloture: Nomination of David Jeremiah Barron to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit✔ Nay

Key Vote 6: On Cloture: Nomination of David Jeremiah Barron to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit

Roll Call 161

David Jeremiah Barron is a troubling judicial nominee due to his explicit advocacy of judicial activism. He was also the White House legal counsel who approved the extralegal killing of a non-combatant American citizen in Yemen - an unprecedented violation of Constitutional rights to due process and trial.

"Nay" votes scored.

7: On Cloture: On the Nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be Secretary of Health and Human Services✔ Nay

Key Vote 7: On Cloture: On the Nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be Secretary of Health and Human Services

Roll Call 174

This was the crucial vote for the nomination of Sylvia Burwell to replace the retiring Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). During her tenure as Chair of the Office of Management and Budget, Burwell oversaw the Obama Administration's attempts to make the partial government shutdown of 2013 as visibly inconvenient as possible, including famously shutting WWII veterans out of their own (open-air) memorial. Thus, it appears unlikely that Burwell would be willing to change the opaque and uncooperative practices of HHS, which is overseeing the implementation of ObamaCare.

This bill would allow students to refinance their private loans into a lower-interest government loan. To pay for this, the bill also contains the so-called "Buffett Tax", a new alternative minimum tax rate that would greatly increase tax rates for higher-income individuals and small businesses.

This amendment by Sen. Mike Lee would stop the cycle of mismanagement and bankruptcy in the Highway Trust Fund by devolving that funding directly to the states over a period of 5 years. Cutting out the federal middleman for highway infrastructure projects will allow states to more accurately address their own needs, and at a lower cost than under the current system.

This bill bails out the nearly depleted Highway Trust Fund through May of 2015, using revenue gimmicks to supposedly offset most of the cost. The Highway Trust Fund desperately needs reform instead of merely continuing to receive periodic taxpayer bailouts.

This constitutional amendment would allow the government broad power to legally define what constitutes political speech for the purposes of regulating expenditures on behalf of candidates. This means that anything from books, movies, billboards, or any other funded public expression that is deemed "political" could be regulated and potentially limited. Effectively, this amendment would place constitutional limits on free speech, stripping away many First Amendment freedoms.

"Nay" votes scored.

12: On Cloture: S. 2199 - Paycheck Fairness Act✔ Nay

Key Vote 12: On Cloture: S. 2199 - Paycheck Fairness Act

This bill purports to ban unequal pay on account of gender. But by making unequal pay illegal, it exposes employers to expensive and time-consuming frivolous lawsuits for any perceived inequality. The "wage gap" that this policy is supposed to address has been shown by repeated studies to be diminishing on its own, and is in fact non-existent in most industries.

This trillion-plus dollar spending bill was crafted behind closed doors and was packed with dozens of policy riders that Congress never had a chance to vote on individually. It continues to fund the federal government fully, with zero reforms to the government's out-of-control spending.

2013: 113th Congress 100%

Key Vote 1: S.Res. 15 - Amending the Rules of the Senate

This change to the rules of the Senate weakens the minority party's ability to filibuster legislation by imposing much tighter restrictions on debate time on bills. The ability of either party to slow down consideration of a bill or nomination was a feature granted to the Senate intentionally by our founders, providing the opportunity for legislation to be exhaustively debated before being passed into law. This rules change is a major blow to that important tradition.

This amendment, sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (UT), would offset the cost of the emergency spending in the Disaster Relief Act over time by making a .49% across-the board cut to discretionary spending. Such a minor spending cut in order to offset a large amount of deficit spending should be an easy call given the current $16.4 trillion national debt.

"Yea" votes scored.

3: H.R. 152 - Disaster Relief Appropriations Act✔ Nay

Key Vote 3: H.R. 152 - Disaster Relief Appropriations Act

This bill is an "emergency" appropriations bill that contains $50.1 billion in spending that is supposed to aid those affected by Hurricane Sandy. In reality, however, most of the spending will not provide acute disaster relief, and much of it is not even scheduled to be spent until 2014 or later. Thus, the bill functions more like a stimulus than true disaster relief and its spending should be appropriated through the budget process instead of as emergency spending that adds to the federal deficit.

"Nay" votes scored.

4: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 8 - To require that the U.S. gov't prioritize certain payments when the debt limit is reached✔ Nay

Key Vote 4: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 8 - To require that the U.S. gov't prioritize certain payments when the debt limit is reached

This amendment would require that, upon reaching the debt limit, the Treasury would prioritize military pay, Social Security obligations, and payments of interest on the national debt. This would prevent the executive branch from making the claim that reaching the debt ceiling would prevent Social Security checks from being sent, since the government incurs enough revenue to meet these obligations without borrowing.

This bill raises the statutory limit on the public debt (the "debt ceiling") by whatever amount is necessary to reach May 19th, 2013. Although the bill theoretically contains a "no budget, no pay" provision conditional upon the Senate passing a budget resolution, in reality the provision has no teeth. FreedomWorks insists that further increases in the debt ceiling by accompanied by proportional decreases in federal spending in order to address the ever-increasing federal debt, which at the time of this bill stood at $16.4 trillion. Instead, this bill amounts to a "clean" debt ceiling hike, accompanied by the unenforceable promise of spending reforms at a later date.

This amendment would effectively defund ObamaCare by tying its funding to economic growth reaching historical average levels. Defunding ObamaCare would reduce ten-year spending by over $1 trillion and would go a long way towards reducing our government's massive annual deficits.

"Yea" votes scored.

7: H.R. 933 - Continuing Resolution/Minibus Appropriations✔ Nay

Key Vote 7: H.R. 933 - Continuing Resolution/Minibus Appropriations

This is the amended version of the bill containing the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. The bill still funds ObamaCare, and continues to institutionalize current levels of deficit spending. In addition, the House and Senate each added several departmental appropriation bills into the C.R., bypassing regular order and the amendment process that ought to accompany each of these spending bills individually.

This budget amendment was a proxy vote for the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would allow states to band together to collect taxes on internet sales from citizens of other states. This type of internet sales tax scheme violates the physical presence standard of tax collection and would place an undue compliance burden upon online retailers.

"Nay" votes scored.

9: S.Amdt. 515 to S.Con.Res. 8 - School Choice✔ Yea

Key Vote 9: S.Amdt. 515 to S.Con.Res. 8 - School Choice

This amendment would make federal education dollars under No Child Left Behind portable so that lower-income parents could use that money towards sending their child to another school. This would be a good first step towards offering parents true choice in their children's education.

"Yea" votes scored.

10: S.Amdt 307 to S.Con.Res. 8 - To Eliminate the Estate Tax✔ Yea

Key Vote 10: S.Amdt 307 to S.Con.Res. 8 - To Eliminate the Estate Tax

This amendment to the Senate's budget resolution would call for the outright elimination of the estate tax (better known as the "death tax"). The death tax is absolutely unjust because it taxes assets that have already been taxed before, and it punishes those who have saved their money over a lifetime to pass on to the next generation. This tax is particularly devastating to small businesses and family farms.

"Yea" votes scored.

11: S.Amdt. 263 to S.Con.Res. 8 - Rand Paul's Budget✔ Yea

Key Vote 11: S.Amdt. 263 to S.Con.Res. 8 - Rand Paul's Budget

This is Senator Rand Paul's budget plan, which would balance in five years, eliminate four Cabinet departments, replace the current tax code with a flat tax, and fundamentally reform all major entitlement programs.

This amendment would prevent taxpayer resources from being used to automatically deduct union dues from the paychecks of unionized federal employees. Federal workers, most of whom have never had the opportunity to vote on whether or not they wish to be unionized, ought to be able to decide if they wish to pay dues to their unions. Much of the collected dues are used for union political activities, which a given employee may or may not agree with.

"Yea" votes scored.

13: S.Con.Res. 8 - Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014✔ Nay

Key Vote 13: S.Con.Res. 8 - Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014

This is the Senate Democrats' budget plan, which raises taxes by nearly $1 trillion while using budget gimmicks to claim $1.8 trillion in spending cuts. In reality, the budget never achieves balance and actually increases spending in the first year, while failing to address the primary drivers of government spending - entitlements - at all.

This bill allows states to collect taxes on internet sales from businesses in other states. This violates the physical presence standard that has governed tax collection since our founding, and raises constitutional issues about businesses being forced to bear the expense of complying with tax collection for states in which they have no representation.

"Nay" votes scored.

15: On Cloture: S. 954 - The Farm Bill✔ Nay

Key Vote 15: On Cloture: S. 954 - The Farm Bill

The so-called "Farm Bill" is actually a combination of agricultural policy and welfare, with food stamps accounting for 80 percent of the bill's nearly trillion dollars in projected spending. Aside from failing to contain the multitude of faults within the rapidly-expanding food welfare programs, the agricultural portion of the bill is an amalgam of direct corporate welfare for insurance companies and farm corporations and special carve-outs and price supports for the specific industries with the best lobbyists.

This bill would fund the Departments of Transportation and Housing & Urban Development (and related agencies) for Fiscal Year 2014. Besides doing nothing to reform the large amount of wasteful spending contained in both departments to begin with, this bill actually increases spending for the departments to pre-sequestration levels. This is part of the broader Democratic strategy to eliminate the only real spending cuts that have been achieved since 2010.

Senator Mike Lee solicited signers on a letter to Senator Harry Reid, which declared that the signers would not vote for any appropriations bill, including a Continuing Resolution (CR), that contained further funding for ObamaCare's implementation or enforcement. The letter put senators on the record committing to actually defunding ObamaCare using a must-pass bill (the CR), rather than just taking another symbolic vote on an amendment that the Democrats could easily defeat.

This is the crucial vote to end debate on the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government while ending funding for ObamaCare. Voting for cloture would allow Senate Democrats to resume funding ObamaCare with a straight party-line vote, meaning that a 'yea' vote here is a vote to fund ObamaCare, with the law's first starting date just days away.

H.R. 2775 was used as the vehicle for the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government. This bill funds the government fully (including ObamaCare) through January 15th of 2014, suspends the debt ceiling until February of 2014, and obliges both chambers of Congress to go to conference on a full-year budget. In other words, this CR allows for more uncontrolled spending and debt, with no reforms to either, does nothing to address ObamaCare, and potentially promises more future spending if a budget agreement is reached.

"Nay" votes scored.

20: On the Decision of the Chair - The "Nuclear Option" to Change the Rules of the Senate by a Majority Vote✔ Nay

Key Vote 20: On the Decision of the Chair - The "Nuclear Option" to Change the Rules of the Senate by a Majority Vote

Roll Call 243

This is the final vote of a complicated Senate parliamentary procedure often referred to as the "Nuclear Option", used the allow the Senate's rules to be changed using only a simple majority vote. Majority Leader Harry Reid used this procedure to allow all executive nominations (except Supreme Court nominees) to pass without a cloture vote, meaning that he only needs 51 votes instead of 60. This is a massive blow to the rights of the minority party in the Senate, and sets a dangerous precedent of tyrannical majority rule in a Senate that has traditionally prized the rights of every Senator and party to have their full say.

"Nay" votes scored.

21: On Cloture: H.J.Res. 59 - The Ryan/Murray Budget✔ Nay

Key Vote 21: On Cloture: H.J.Res. 59 - The Ryan/Murray Budget

This is the vote to end debate on the budget deal negotiated by Congressman Paul Ryan and Senator Patty Murray. The deal breaks the budget caps established in 2011 by $63 billion over two years, while claiming to contain a net deficit reduction over ten years by raising fees and making other minor cuts. With no guarantee that future congresses will obey the scheduled spending cuts, this bill delivers increases in both spending and taxes in exchange for no meaningful reforms. Voting for cloture allowed the bill to be passed by a simple majority vote.